Two online bachelor’s programs ranked as Best Buys

Two UW-Stout online undergraduate degree programs have been reviewed
and ranked by GedEducated.com as regional Best Buys for students seeking high-quality,
low-cost online degrees.

The online programs in management and in sustainable
management ranked 25th and 37th, respectively.

The ranking is based on a survey of 69 regionally accredited
colleges offering 165 online bachelor degrees in business management. The
survey covers a wide range of business majors, including marketing, management,
leadership, administration and accounting and highlights the 39 most affordable
online degrees in a field.

UW-Stout's two ranked programs are designed primarily for
transfer students wanting to build on previously completed technical education and
to prepare for management and leadership opportunities.

The management degree, with a current enrollment of 440, has
been offered online since 2006 in response to place-bound professionals' need
for additional education, said Wendy Dittmann, program director. The program
operates collaboratively with UW Colleges and Wisconsin Technical Colleges.

Dittmann says the ranking is important for prospective
students. They are mostly working adults looking for degree programs that fit
their schedule and budget. "Being a Best Buy implies value for the tuition —
students are looking for that," Dittmann said.

Adrian
Beard is one of those students who found the management program to be a good
fit. Beard, who lives and works in Kenosha as an enrollment specialist at
Gateway Technical College, is learning people and
management skills.

The degree will help
him "move up the ladder in my organization and lead a department to success,"
he said.

Beard said he chose
the program because of its reputation. He also has co-workers who are program
alumni and have had successful careers. "I truly do think that it was a Best Buy.
This is a great opportunity at a low price," he said.

The sustainable management program, offered since 2009, applies
sustainability theory to the business world. It's a hands-on, problem-solving
degree. "By learning the fundamentals of the Triple Bottom Line, you can
immediately start helping your company create profits, preserve the environment
and improve the surrounding community," Dittmann said.

Dennis Weibel, director of the sustainable management
program, says typical students are in their mid-30s, working at one or two jobs
and raising families. "We have no stats to prove they shop around, but I find
it inconceivable that someone in that position would not be looking for the best
buy," Weibel said.

The sustainable management program is a collaborative
project between UW-Extension and three other UW System universities, UW-Superior,
UW-River Falls and UW-Parkside.